Medical specialties

The union representing teachers at Greece's public schools on Friday lodged a request with the Education Ministry to grant students who miss school as a result of the flu a pass.

Thirty-nine people in Greece have died after contracting flu since last October, most of whom had not been vaccinated, according to the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (KEELPNO). Among the victims was an infant under the age of 12 months which had a pre-existing medical condition.

As of today the flu epidemic and anti-epidemic measures in the Blagoevgrad region are lifted, the Ministry of Health said.

Only Montana prolongs the measures against the spread of the infection, reported NOVA TV. 

Four more districts in our country canceled the flu epidemic. These are Vratsa, Gabrovo, Razgrad and Blagoevgrad. A day earlier, another 11 areas canceled the epidemic.

A 5-year-old girl who died in the emergency room of Iraklio General Hospital on the island of Crete in the early hours of Monday morning after being transferred there with a high fever has been attributed to the H1N1 flu virus.

Another five persons died of flu, the death toll from this disease reaching 87, on Tuesday informed the National Public Health Institute (INSP).

Four of the five dead persons confirmed with the A-type flu virus were having preexisting medical conditions.

Greek authorities have urged the public to adhere to influenza transmission prevention strategies including respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette, avoidance of closed crowded spaces and getting a flu jab to rein in the spread of the disease.

European Commissioner for Health Vytenis Andriukaitis gestures during an interview at an event marking World Cancer Day, while on an official visit to Athens on Monday. "The more we understand about the causes of cancer, the more we realize that we need to get ahead of this disease," the European official said.

Amid a spike in flu cases, the National Organization for Medicine (EOF) said Friday there are enough vaccines available for everyone in Greece who hasn't had a jab yet to get one for this flu season.

EOF said that it has imported 2,100,000 vaccines so far this season.

The flu epidemic in Burgas region, with all associated anti-epidemic measures, has been cancelled, the Regional Administration said. The local health authorities have registered a significant decrease in the number of the patients and a trend of normalisation of the situation.